The man who hunts our property got a deer. He stopped by yesterday with our share. Back strap, some steaks, and everything else is ground, in charming 1/2 kilo packages. It's nicely butchered and sealed in vacuum packs. He and his wife were being very helpful. But there's the rub. We like venison stew, braise, etc. I don't grind very much, and what I do is coarse, for chili.

So when he brought it over I told him that if he and his wife would prefer just give me the back strap, forequarter, hind quarter and I'll butcher it down.

Mr Jam Lord thought I was being silly to look for extra work but it's not that difficult.

And the cats will hang over my shoulder offering to help. They love venison too.

i like to do my own cutting as well and like to start from any chunk light enough to move (ie 1/4 cow, 1/2 large pig,whole small pigs, sheep and deer.)
im fairly traditional with pig ,english cuts with chop racks or cut for ham and bacon
with sheep and beef i french cut apart from some rib roasts .
with deer i usually cut for jerky so the more intact the beast is to start with the better.

if i can i hang up a whole or half carcase to make turning it easy but with enough space a good table will do , i tend to work with almost no sawing ,just dismantling with a couple of good blades ( 100 yr old sheffield steel boning knife and 8in butchers curve ) and a good diamond steel to keep an edge.

as you say it is easier than most folk think

ps my half wolf would always indicate which trotter or hoof he wanted:lol: